Thursday, May 26, 2005

Elation at Migration

This (very) minimalist trio plays with dynamics, song structure and the concept of space in a song. Space to let a song breath, and let a song build to a peak, piece by piece.

Treasure State is a band with some pedigree... namely with the lead singer, Robert Mercer. Not only is a member of Joel RL Phelps' Downer Trio, but he's also half-brother to James Mercer (The Shins) (both connections are influences on the music.) Mitch Leffler and Aaron Sheedy played in a long forgotten (never remembered?) Seattle band called House on Stilts. For a Seattle band, they have a lot of Midwestern influences in their sound, namely Joan of Arc, Low, Tortoise and American Football.

Rob's voice is very human, as he cracks and breaks reaching for the notes, while his guitar helps tell the subtext of the lyrics. Mitch's drums are sparse and color songs like an arist's paintbrush, and Aaron's bass is low but substantive at the core of each song. The opener, "Arrivals/Departures," is a highlight, as is the great "Summer of His Youth." The album only touches on the power of their live performances, so I recommend, if you get the rare chance, to check them out (photo documentation here.) Currently, Aaron's in North Carolina, so they're in a long-distance relationship right now.

It's a pleasant surprise to see it in Rhapsody and I can honestly give it a hearty recommendation, regardless of this disclaimer: these guys are friends of mine. I played in a band for a long time with the rhythm section (Mitch Leffler, Aaron Sheedy.)